How to re-paint door? Oil vs water-based paint?

daniel4

Hi All.

Apologize if similar question has ever been raised & answered before.

I am planning to re-paint all doors including its frames and architraves. Current paint is an oil-based one.

I am looking for an appropriate step to repaint it with oil-based painting?

Also, I have seen many else paint their door with water-based paints. What are the pros and cons when using water-based paint?

Thank you for all provided answers and feedback.

Regards,

Daniel

EricL

Hello @daniel4

Thank you for sharing your question about oil and water-based paint. If your doors, frames, and architraves are already painted with oil-based paint and you want to repaint them with oil-based again, the process is quite straightforward. Start by cleaning everything thoroughly with sugar soap or a degreaser to remove dirt, oils, and hand marks, then rinse and allow it to dry.

Lightly sand the entire surface using fine sandpaper (around 180–220 grit) to dull the existing gloss and give the new paint something to grip to; you don’t need to remove all the old paint, just de-gloss it. Wipe off all dust with a damp cloth or tack cloth. If the existing coating is in good condition, you can usually go straight to topcoat; however, if there are repairs, bare timber, or areas sanded through, spot prime those sections with an oil-based undercoat. After that, apply two thin coats of oil-based enamel, allowing proper drying time between coats and lightly sanding between coats for a smoother finish. This method keeps compatibility simple and usually gives a very durable finish.

Many people now use water-based enamel instead, such as products like Dulux Aquanamel or Taubmans Ultra Enamel, even over old oil-based paint (proper preparation is key). The main advantages are low odour, faster drying times, easier cleanup with water, and less yellowing over time, which is especially noticeable on white doors and trims. Water-based enamels also stay slightly more flexible, so they’re less likely to crack and are easier to recoat in the future. The downsides are that they can show brush marks if applied too slowly, they don’t self-level quite as well as traditional oil paints, and some cheaper versions are slightly less hard-wearing in very high-traffic areas, though modern premium versions are very close.

Oil-based paints such as Dulux Super Enamel still have benefits. They level beautifully, giving that classic smooth finish on doors and trim, and they cure to a very hard, durable surface. The trade-offs are strong smell, longer drying time, yellowing over time (especially in low light areas), and cleanup requiring mineral turps.

In short, if you want maximum durability and the smoothest traditional finish, stay with oil-based. If you want easier application, low smell, quicker turnaround, and a non-yellowing white, water-based enamel is usually the better modern choice.

Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How To Paint a Door

Here are some discussions that will help:

• How to choose the right paint for the job
• How to tell between oil-based and water-based paint?
• OIl-based or water-based paint for a wooden window sill? by @Klutz

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your painting project.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric